Makai Lemon Film Breakdown: The Eagles just drafted a problem in their revamped offense

Last night, Howie Roseman did something that should tell you everything you need to know about where this Eagles roster is heading. He called Dallas. Traded up. Leapfrogged the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were literally already on the phone with Makai Lemon, and snagged the best wide receiver in college football before Pittsburgh could get the words out of their mouth.

I watched film on this kid all last night and I’m going to be very honest with you, I haven’t been this excited about a wide receiver prospect coming to Philadelphia since Heisman winner DeVonta Smith walked the stage.

Anyhow, my takeaway after the film session was very simple.

Makai Lemon is a flat out baller

161 seconds of Makai Lemon being tough to tackle pic.twitter.com/z9yE926QAt

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 17, 2026

Makai Lemon is a 21-year-old out of USC who won the Biletnikoff Award in 2025, while earning First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten honors. He finished the season with 79 catches for 1,156 yards, 11 receiving touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and even threw a passing touchdown against Oregon, becoming the first Big Ten player to catch two touchdowns and throw one in a single game since Eric Decker in 2009.

That’s a football player. Not just a wide receiver. A football player.

He checked in at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, so yes, he’s not a big bodied X receiver. Which is why it’s unfair to really call him “the AJ Brown replacement.” But, what he does with that frame will make you forget about the measurements immediately.

The film never lies

The first thing you notice is Makai Lemon’s hands. He recorded 10 receptions on 14 contested targets in 2025. Todd McShay noted that Lemon had just one true drop all season. In a season where he ran 79 routes and caught balls in traffic on a nightly basis. That is elite level ball security.

The second thing you notice is his route running. He doesn’t just run routes, he sets defenders up. He uses his eyes, his feet, his body lean. He sells one thing and delivers another. McShay noted that Lemon posted three-plus yards per route run against both man and zone coverage, and only five other receivers drafted since 2021 have done the same: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jaylen Waddle, Dee Eskridge, Ja’Marr Chase, and DeVonta Smith.

Read More: Makai Lemon realizing the Eagles traded up to draft him at 20 while on the phone with the Steelers is peak NFL Draft drama >>

The third thing, and this is the one that gets me most excited, is what happens after the catch. This is not a guy who catches the ball and falls down. He catches it and immediately becomes a runner. He breaks tackles. He has a burst after the catch that turns a five-yard hitch into a fifteen-yard gain. It’s one of the more satisfying things to watch on a football field when a player is capable of doing these kinds of things.

Makai Lemon will be the slot receiver we’ve always wanted and needed

Makai Lemon played the majority of his snaps at USC out of the slot , which is exactly where the Eagles need him most right now. With DeVonta Smith operating as the unquestioned number one outside, Lemon slides into that interior role and immediately becomes the most dangerous slot option Jalen Hurts has had since the offense was at its peak.

Obviously in Sean Mannion’s offense i’d imagine these receivers will move all over place, which is also why this is such a great pick for the Eagles. You can’t really limit Smitty or Lemon to playing at one spot.

With all of that said, I am interested to hear your guys’s takeaways or even player comparisons for the Eagles 1st round pick. Let us know!

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